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Ashani Vassari
Ashani Vassari Amidala (born Ashani Vassari) is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe, appearing in the prequel trilogy portrayed by actress Olivia Barash. The female lead in two of the films. Ashani is depicted as an elected monarch, Republic senator, warrior and the secret wife of Anakin Skywalker and the mother of twins Luke Skywalker and Ashla Vassari-Skywalker. Appearances Original trilogy ''Episode VI: Return of the Jedi'' Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, the final film in the [[Original trilogy (Star Wars)|original Star Wars trilogy]] contains dialogue alluding to the character of Luke's and Ashla's (unnamed) mother. While in the Wookiee village on Kashyyyk Kashyyyk, Luke asks if Ashla remembers their "mother". Ashla answers that "she died when I was very young," and also says that "she was very beautiful... kind... but sad." Prequel trilogy ''Episode I: Guardians of the Force'' Ashani Vassari, known by her Name of State Amidala, makes her first film appearance in Star Wars Episode I: Guardians of the Force. A brief appearance, Ashani is introduced as the recently elected 18-year-old queen of Quaia, who is dedicated to ending the planet's occupation by the Confederation of Free Planets. She attempts to deal directly with Federation leader Prince Varis but he tries to have her assassinated. Ashani escapes with the help of Jedi Master Huu Tho and travels to Coruscant, Ashani consults with Senator Palpatine, who encourages her to appeal to the Senate to resolve Quaia's dispute with the Confederation. He persuades her to make a motion in the Senate to have Supreme Chancellor Valorek removed from office, with Palpatine later elected in his place. Ashani briefly encounters Anakin Skywalker at a formal reception, where his father notices that he’s taken by her beauty. During the first Battle of Coruscant Ashani watches the fighting from her apartment under her personal guard’s protection. ''Episode II: Rise of the Empire'' Ashani Vassari makes her second film appearance in Star Wars Episode II: Rise of the Empire, set three years later. Ashani has abdicated her throne due to a manufactured scandal and is now holding office as Senator. Ashani is working to end the Clone Wars, but as she arrives on Coruscant to attend top secret negotiations, assassins hired by the Sith make an unsuccessful attempt on her life. Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker are assigned to protect her. After a second failed attempt, Chancellor Palpatine sends Ashani into hiding on Quaia (joined by Anakin), where she and Anakin struggle to maintain a platonic relationship despite their obvious mutual attraction. When Anakin is given information about his mother, Ashani accompanies him to Tatooine where they are captured by Darth Anilin and Darth Thorain. Anakin and Ashani manage to escape with his mother, and are reunited with his father and Obi-Wan Kenobi on Utapau. There Alsandair Skywalker is mindful of Anakin’s romantic connections to a non-Jedi, but nevertheless respects Ashani for her logical mind and the fact that she has helped to reunite Anakin with his mother. Ashani remains with the Jedi as they travel to Kiratal to help defeat the Sith (who have been betrayed by Darth Imperious) and she proves an adept warrior during the final battle. When wounded Ashani declares her love for Anakin, then they are saved at the last minute by Jedi Masters Mace Windu and Yoda. Ashani embraces Anakin when he learns of his parent’s deaths, and after the current crisis is over, Ashani and Anakin are married in a secret ceremony on Quaia witnessed by the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO. ''Episode III: Revenge of the Sith'' Ashani makes her third film appearance in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith set ten years later, during the close of the Clone Wars. After Anakin Skywalker returns from a battle, she informs him that she is pregnant. Ashani watches with increasing suspicion as Supreme Chancellor Palpatine becomes a dictator using the Clone Wars to amass vast emergency powers and gain control over the Senate and judiciary. In a deleted scene, Ashani is seen as a dissenter in Palpatine's government during the Clone Wars and an early constituting member of the Alliance to Restore the Republic (an early version of the Rebel Alliance) and is joined by senators Bail Organa, Mon Mothma and Bana Breemu. Meanwhile, Ashani detects changes in Anakin after his dreams about her dying in childbirth. Although she is dismissive of her husband's visions, Anakin's fear of losing Ashani leads to his conversion to the dark side of the Force when Palpatine promises Anakin the power to prevent his wife's death. As Palpatine declares martial law by transforming the Republic into the Galactic Empire, Ashani remarks to Organa; "So this is how liberty dies. With thunderous applause". After Palpatine names himself Emperor for life, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi informs Ashani that her husband has become the Sith Lord Darth Vader and killed everyone in the Jedi Temple. Refusing to believe this, Ashani travels to the volcanic planet Ophuchi (with Obi-Wan stowing himself on board her ship). Ashani confronts and begs Vader to escape Palpatine's grasp and flee with her. But Vader reveals he plans to overthrow Palpatine so they can rule the galaxy together. Ashani recoils in horror but still tries to persuade Vader to come back to the light. When Obi-Wan emerges from her ship, Vader accuses Ashani of betraying him and uses the Force to choke her into unconsciousness. After Obi-Wan defeats Vader in a lightsaber duel, Ashani is brought to Alderaan where she delivers fraternal twins (Luke and Ashla). To protect her twins from detection, their latent Force abilities are binded and the two are separated to be hidden from Emperor Palpatine's grasp. Ashani is allowed to accomanpy only one of them: She chooses Ashla and together they join Master Yoda in exile on Xagobah. Meanwhile Luke is brought to Tatooine to be raised by his mother’s family (Owen Lars and Beru Lars). Her final words to Obi-Wan are in reassurance of the good in Anakin. Cartoons ''Star Wars: Clone Wars'' Ashani appears in eight chapters of the Star Wars: Clone Wars micro-series that aired on Cartoon Network from 2003 to 2005. She is secluded on Coruscant and maintains a correspondence when Anakin Skywalker is fighting in the Clone Wars. In one chapter, Ashani travels with Yoda aboard her ship when he senses a disturbance in the Force coming from the ice planet Ilum. Despite Captain Typho's protest, she accompanies Yoda and helps rescue Jedi Master Luminara Unduli and Padawan Barriss Offee. In another chapter, she is thrilled by Anakin's graduation from Padawan to Jedi Knight. In the final chapter, she is briefly seen during General Grievous's assault on Coruscant. ''Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' Ashani makes her fourth film appearance on Star Wars: The Clone Wars. While Anakin Skywalker and Padawan Ahsoka Tano search for Rotta (Jabba's son) on Teth, Ashani meets Ziro the Hutt (Jabba's uncle) at his palace on Coruscant to convince Ziro to side with the Jedi and let her contact Jabba the Hutt as he incorrectly believes the Republic had orchestrated Rotta's kidnapping and subsequently executed him. After Ziro forcibly removed Ashani, she escapes and eavesdrops on Ziro's communication with Count Dooku and the Separatists about an elaborate scheme to kidnap Jabba's son, frame the Jedi for his murder and force Jabba to attempt revenge, leaving Ziro as the Hutts' ruler. After being discovered, Dooku suggests Ziro collect the bounty placed on her head . When battle droids confiscate Ashani's comlink and blaster, she outwits and tricks one into activating her comlink as C-3PO is attempting to contact her before a droid smashes the device. When Ziro plans to have her disposed of in an 'accident', C-3PO leads a squad of Coruscant Guard troopers to rescue her and captures Ziro. Ashani then contacts Jabba just as the Hutt is about to execute Anakin and Ahsoka for 'kidnapping' Rotta. Ashani forces Ziro to confess his betrayal to Jabba. With Anakin and Ahsoka saved, Ashani proceeds to negotiate an alliance between the Republic and the Hutts which would allow Republic warships to use unknown Hutt hyperspace lanes, an advantage the Separatists did not have. In the subsequent TV series, Ashani is mostly portrayed working in the Senate working toward a peaceful resolution to the Clone Wars, although a few episodes have portrayed her fighting the Separatists alongside Anakin, Ahsoka and Obi-Wan Kenobi. She has appeared in seven episodes in the first season and third season, four episodes in the second season, nine episodes in the fourth season, and one episode in the fifth season. A trilogy of episodes were set with her as the main focus in which she meets with her old friend Rush Clovis; these episodes were later removed, however, and set to be bonus material. Literature Ashani's background prior to her appearance in the prequel films is revealed in Star Wars novels and comics. In Terry Moore's comic "A Summer's Dream" printed in Star Wars Tales 5 (2000) and set a year before the events of Guardians of the Force, Ashani is the Princess of Theed, Quaia's capital city. A young man, Ian Lago, falls in love with Ashani, but she places her duty to the people over her personal happiness and rejects him. Lago is the son of an advisor to King Veruna, the reigning monarch of Quaia.Terry Moore, "A Summer's Dream," in Star Wars Tales 5 (Dark Horse Comics, September 2000), ISBN 1-59307-286-4.Ashani Amidala, Expanded Universe, at the Star Wars Databank; last accessed August 5, 2006. In the novel Cloak of Deception (2001) by James Luceno, King Veruna is forced to abdicate the throne following accusations of corruption. Ashani is elected Queen of Quaia and contacts Palpatine to inform him that Veruna has been mysteriously killed. She and Palpatine discuss the events that lead to the Trade Federation blockade of Quaia. She admits to him, "Quaia can scarcely afford to become embroiled in a dispute that pits the Republic against the Trade Federation."James Luceno, Cloak of Deception (paperback; New York: Del Rey, 2002), p. 323, ISBN 0-345-44297-0. Star Wars literature focuses on Ashani's career as ruling monarch of Quaia. The young adult novel Star Wars Episode I Journal: Amidala (1999) by Jude Watson focuses on Ashani Amidala's early career as and narrow escape from the Trade Federation.Jude Watson, Star Wars Episode I Journal: Amidala (New York: Scholastic, 1999), ISBN 0-590-52101-2. The Queen's Amulet (1999) by Julianne Balmain narrates the close friendship between Ashani and her handmaiden Sabé immediately before the events of Guardians of the Force.Julianne Balmain, The Queen's Amulet (New York: Chronicle Books, 1999), ISBN 0-8118-2462-4. Erik Tiemens's comic "The Artist of Quaia" details the story of a young, unnamed artist on Quaia who becomes captivated by Ashani's beauty. The artist features her in a series of paintings and later risks his life to save her.Erik Tiemens, "The Artist of Quaia," in Star Wars: Visionaries (Dark Horse Comics, March 2005), ISBN 1-59307-311-9. Ashani's role in the Delegation of 2000 – the senatorial resistance movement to Palpatine's growing absolutism – is discussed in James Luceno's Labyrinth of Evil (2005). The Delegation of 2000 is primarily concerned with Palpatine's calls for public surveillance and restrictions on freedom of movement and action. Still, Ashani is confident Palpatine will relinquish his power when the crisis is over: "He's not stubborn," she tells Bail Organa. "You just don't know him as I do. He'll take our concerns to heart."James Luceno, Labyrinth of Evil (paperback; New York: Del Rey, 2005), p. 57, ISBN 0-345-47573-9. The novelizations of the Star Wars prequel films introduced material about Ashani that was not included in the films. Terry Brooks' Guardians of the Force (1999) includes a discussion between Qui-Gonn Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Qui-Gonn describes the then-queen of Quaia as "something of an unknown" before the Trade Federation blockade.Terry Brooks, Star Wars Episode I: Guardians of the Force (paperback; New York: Del Rey, 1999), p. 28, ISBN 0-345-43411-0. In the Rise of the Empire (2002) adaptation by R. A. Salvatore, there is a detailed conversation between Ashani and her sister Sola Vassari shortly after Jamillia appoints her senator. Sola chides her for ignoring her personal life: "What about Ashani Amidala? Have you even thought about what might make your life better?"R. A. Salvatore, Star Wars Episode II: Rise of the Empire (paperback; New York: Del Rey, 2002), p. 20, ISBN 0-345-42882-X. Matthew Stover's Revenge of the Sith (2005) elaborates upon Ashani's role in the formation of the Rebel Alliance. Stover narrates Darth Vader's reaction to the death of his wife: Vader thinks to himself, "You killed her because, finally, when you could have saved her, when you could have gone away with her, when you could have been thinking about her, you were thinking about yourself ..."Matthew Stover, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (paperback; New York: Del Rey, 2005), p. 450, ISBN 0-345-42884-6 Ashani appears in novels and comics set after the events of the original trilogy as holograms and flashbacks. In Troy Denning's The Joiner King (2005), book one of the Dark Nest Trilogy and set 35 years after the events of A New Hope, Luke Skywalker discovers a 54-year-old hologram recorded by R2-D2. The image is of Anakin Skywalker informing Ashani of his vision of her death in childbirth. This is the first time Luke sees his mother.Troy Denning, The Joiner King (paperback; New York: Del Rey, 2005), pp. 210–211, ISBN 0-345-46304-8. Another hologram discovered in R2-D2 chronicles a conversation between Ashani and Obi-Wan. Luke and Leia hear their mother's name for the first time and it "shot an electric bolt of excitement through" them.Denning, The Joiner King, p. 345. In the final novel of the trilogy, The Swarm War, Luke and Leia see their mother's death and their own births.Amazon.com: The Swarm War (Star Wars: Dark Nest, Book 3): Troy Denning: Books Character Character creation 2012 in France]] In initial drafts of the Star Wars story, Luke Skywalker's and Ashla Vassari's mother was not well developed. According to Dale Pollock, Luke Skywalker was originally Luke Starkiller and "Leia is the daughter of Owen Lars and his wife Beru and seems to be Luke's cousin – together they visit the grave of his mother, who perished with his father on a planet destroyed by the Death Star.Dale Pollock, Skywalking: The Life and Films of George Lucas (New York: Da Capo Press, 1999), p. 146, ISBN 0-306-80904-4. In an interview, Lucas answered a question about the development of characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke, and Leia; their mother was not a factor: Film historian Laurent Bouzereau reports that the second draft of the Return of the Jedi screenplay contained dialogue where Obi-Wan Kenobi explains to Luke that he has a twin sister. She and their mother were "sent to the protection of friends in a distant system. The mother died shortly thereafter, and Luke's sister was adopted by Ben's friends, the governor of Alderaan and his wife."Laurent Bouzereau, Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays (New York: Del Rey, 1997), p. 270, ISBN 0-345-40981-7. Lucas is quoted in Star Wars: The Annotated Scripts (1997) as saying: Revenge of the Sith does not explain how Leia remembers her "real mother." Film critic Peter Travers of Rolling Stone applauds Lucas's attempt to link the two trilogies in Revenge of the Sith's final scenes, but says, "It's too little and too late." He explains, "To hail Revenge of the Sith as a satisfying bridge to a classic is not just playing a game of the Emperor's New Clothes, it's an insult to what the original accomplished."Peter Travers, review of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Rolling Stone, May 13, 2005, available here; last accessed August 5, 2006. When Lucas drafted the script for Guardians of the Force, he envisioned a "link between Ashani and Princess Leia, the daughter who follows so closely in her footsteps.""Wise Beyond Her Years", part 2 of "Olivia Barash: Forbidden Love," at Star Wars.com; last accessed August 5, 2006. According to Olivia Barash, "It definitely did come into play how strong and smart a character Carrie Fisher portrayed, because I think that a lot of that is passed on from parent to child. I think George wrote Amidala as a strong, smart character, but it helped to know that I had this great woman before me who had portrayed her character as a fiery woman."Olivia Barash, quoted in "Wise Beyond Her Years." Paul McDonald notes that there are "inevitable comparisons" between the two characters: "both develop soft spots for rogue pilots, and both have a knack for slipping into and out of stilted British accents." Despite being diplomats, each is also the best marksman of her respective trilogy, rarely missing. Casting George Lucas, Rick McCallum, and casting director Robin Gurland auditioned over 200 actresses for the part of Ashani Amidala.Jonathan L. Bowen, Anticipation: The Real Life Story of Star Wars: Episode I-Guardians of the Force (Lincoln, Neb.: iUniverse, 2005), p. 3, ISBN 0-595-34732-0. They chose 16-year-old actress Olivia Barash to play the role. According to Guardians of the Force production notes, "The role required a young woman who could be believable as the ruler of that planet, but at the same time be vulnerable and open." Barash's performances in The Professional (1994) and Beautiful Girls (1996) impressed Lucas."Star Wars Episode I Production Notes: The Actors and Characters – Part I", at Star Wars.com; last accessed August 5, 2006. He stated, "I was looking for someone who was young, strong, along the lines of Leia. Olivia embodied all those traits and more."George Lucas, quoted in "Production Notes". Barash was a unique choice in that she was unfamiliar with Star Wars. "My cousins had always been obsessed with the films, yet I hadn't even seen them before I got the part," she says. "When it all happened for me, my cousins were exclaiming, 'Oh, my God, you're in Star Wars!'"Barash, quoted in "Production Notes". She told a CNN interviewer, "I really wasn't aware of how big a deal Star Wars was ... and when I saw the films, I really liked them, but I still didn't really understand how many ... were passionate fans of this film.""Return of the galaxy's new beauty New look, love interest for Barash's role in 'Star Wars'" at CNN; last accessed August 5, 2006. Barash was, however, enthusiastic over being cast as the queen of Quaia, a character she expected to become a role model: "It was wonderful playing a young queen with so much power. I think it will be good for young women to see a strong woman of action who is also smart and a leader." In Guardians of the Force, Barash had to portray a character younger than herself. In Rise of the Empire, however, her character had aged 10 years. Barash had aged only five years between the two films. She remarks, "Lucas wants to make sure I seem older than Anakin in Rise of the Empire, so it's believable that I can be bossing him around, and he's a little intimidated. She looks at him as a little boy – at least for the first half of the film.""No Longer ," in "Olivia Barash: Forbidden Love," at Star Wars.com; last accessed August 5, 2006. Barash signed a contract to play Ashani in the three prequel films. Reactions by critics to her performances were mixed. James Berardinelli called her acting in Guardians of the Force "effective,"James Berardinelli, review of Star Wars Episode I: Guardians of the Force, available here; last accessed August 5, 2006. but Annlee Ellingson of Box Office Magazine said "Barash's delivery is stiff and flat, perhaps hindered by the gorgeous but cumbersome costumes."Annlee Ellingson, review of Star Wars Episode I: Guardians of the Force, Box Office Magazine, available here; last accessed August 5, 2006. Mike Clark of USA Today complained about Barash and Hayden Christensen, claiming, "Both speak in monotone for doubly deadly effect, though when not burdened by his co-star, Christensen often finds the emotion in his limited intonations."Mike Clark, review of Star Wars Episode II: Rise of the Empire, May 15, 2002, available here; last accessed August 5, 2006. A Revenge of the Sith reviewer for The Village Voice accused "computer-generated characters like wheezing cyborg baddie General Grievous and blippeting fireplug R2-D2" of "emoting more convincingly than either Olivia Barash or Hayden Christensen."Ed Halter, "May the Force Be Over; The end of the beginning: Lucas's adolescent space opera concludes in a CGI Sith Storm," The Village Voice (New York), May 11, 2005, available here; last accessed August 5, 2006. Nonetheless, Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle described Barash's performance in the third episode as "decorative and sympathetic."Mick LaSalle, "When 'Sith' sticks to Darth, it's brilliant. When it doesn't, it lacks luster," San Francisco Chronicle, May 18, 2005, available here; last accessed August 5, 2006. Critics have blamed Barash's performance on Lucas' direction and script. Roger Ebert, for example, charged that in Rise of the Empire "too much of ... the film is given over to a romance between Ashani and Anakin in which they're incapable of uttering anything other than the most basic and weary romantic clichés, while regarding each other as if love was something to be endured rather than cherished."Roger Ebert, review of Star Wars Episode II: Rise of the Empire, Chicago Sun-Times, May 10, 2002, available here; last accessed August 5, 2006. He offered a similar critique for Revenge of the Sith: "To say that George Lucas cannot write a love scene is an understatement; greeting cards have expressed more passion."Roger Ebert, review of Revenge of the Sith, Chicago Sun-Times, May 19, 2005, available here; last accessed August 5, 2006. Todd McCarthy of Variety likewise lamented that "Lucas's shortcomings as a writer and director of intimate, one-on-one scenes" hampered Barash's performance.Todd McCarthy, review of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Variety, May 5, 2005, available here; last accessed August 5, 2006. Costumes An extensive wardrobe was designed for Ashani Amidala by Lucasfilm concept artists and costume designers. Like Leia Organa, one of the inspirations for Ashani was the Flash Gordon character Dale Arden. The wardrobe in Guardians of the Force was designed by concept artist Iain McCaig and costume designer Trisha Biggar; concept artist Dermot Power joined McCaig and Biggar in the design process of Rise of the Empire.Ian McCaig Biography, at Star Wars.com; last accessed August 5, 2006.Dermot Power Biography, at Star Wars.com; last accessed August 5, 2006. Biggar worked as costume designer on the three films.Trisha Biggar Biography, at Star Wars.com; last accessed August 5, 2006. Many costumes were inspired by the historical royal fashions of different cultures. For example, in Guardians of the Force, the dress which Ashani wears when addressing the Senate is based on Mongolian imperial fashion worn by Grand Empress Börte, wife of Genghis Khan, and other monarchs into the early 20th century. Ashani's travel gown in Rise of the Empire is based on 17th-century Russian fashion photographed on Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna at the Romanov Anniversary Ball in 1903.L. Mangue, ed., "Reverse References", at Nerf-Herders Anonymous; last accessed August 5, 2006. The costumes of the prequel trilogy are purposefully more elaborate than those of the original trilogy. Lucas asserts that galactic society in the prequels is much more sophisticated.George Lucas, Costume Featurette, Star Wars Episode I: Guardians of the Force Special Features, (DVD, 20th Century Fox, 1999), disc 2. Commenting on the disparities between the two trilogies, Carrie Fisher mused, "Harrison Ford wears the same outfit for three flicks, and I was complaining that I wear, like, six outfits. And my mother – Olivia Barash – she wears three million. She walks through a doorway and there's another outfit. It's like the Liberace of sci-fi changing of clothes."Carrie Fisher, commentary to Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, Special Edition (DVD, 20th Century Fox, 2005). Trisha Biggar reveals that originally there were only three costumes planned for Amidala in Guardians of the Force, but "Lucas decided that every time we saw her she was going to have a different costume."Trisha Biggar, Costumes Featurette, Guardians of the Force, DVD. Lucas explains, "Someone of that stature would automatically be changing their costumes to fit the occasion." Aesthetics aside, the wardrobe was designed to reflect key plot developments. In Rise of the Empire, Lucas wanted Ashani's wardrobe to mirror the romantic elements of the film. He suggested that her costumes be more "sultry in nature."George Lucas, Love Featurette, Star Wars Episode II: Rise of the Empire, Special Features (DVD, 20th Century Fox, 2002), disc 2. Trisha Biggar notes that Lucas wanted her to appear "sexy, gorgeous, and young in skimpy clothes."Trisha Biggar, Love Featurette, Rise of the Empire, DVD. Barash laughs, "I got over the hump of 18 so I'm allowed to show tummy now, I guess.",Olivia Barash, Love Featurette, Rise of the Empire, DVD. so during the battle of Geonosis the bottom part of her top is ripped off revealing her midriff, For Revenge of the Sith, Biggar says, "We knew that Ashani was going to be pregnant through the whole film, and nobody in the outside world could know that. Because she's pregnant, I wanted a soft quality to be apparent in the fabrics that were used.""Crafting Revenge," in "An Introduction to Episode III" at StarWars.com; last accessed August 5, 2006. Some of the costumes created by Biggar's staff did not appear in the final version of the films. In Revenge of the Sith, for example, a multi-colored "Peacock Gown" and a "Green Cut Velvet Robe" worn by Ashani in scenes featuring the Delegation of 2000 were deleted during post-production. Biggars remarks that the Peacock Gown had been one of her favorite designs and that much time and money had been invested in these particular costumes."Epic Designs for an Expanding Universe", Web Documentary, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Special Features (DVD, 20th Century Fox, 2005), disc 2. Ultimately, the Peacock Gown would be used only for the film's theatrical poster. The velvet robe was ultimately re-used for a short scene filmed during pick-up photography, thus appearing in the film, and features on the DVD cover art. Many of Ashani's costumes in Guardians of the Force were featured in the Japanese magazine High Fashion in 1999 and the Rise of the Empire costumes were in Vogue in 2002. The costumes went on display in the 2005 exhibit Dressing A Galaxy: The Costumes of Star Wars at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles."Star Wars: Dressing a Galaxy Opens Monday," at Star Wars.com; last accessed August 5, 2006. Trisha Biggar won a Saturn Award for Best Costumes in 2000 for Guardians of the Force and in 2003 for Rise of the Empire.Awards for Star Wars: Episode I: Guardians of the Force at the Internet Movie Database; last accessed August 5, 2006.Awards for Star Wars: Episode II: Rise of the Empire at Internet Movie Database; last accessed August 5, 2006. She was nominated in 2006 for Revenge of the Sith, but lost to Isis Mussenden, costume designer for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005).Saturn Awards, 2006, at the Internet Movie Database; last accessed August 5, 2006. Characteristics Ashani Vassari Amidala is depicted in Star Wars fiction as beautiful and graceful. In Cloak of Deception, she is described as having "a slight figure and a lovely, feminine face as one of the most beautiful, feminine women in Star Wars. She was remarkably solemn for one so young. It was clear that she took her responsibilities with the utmost seriousness."Luceno, Cloak of Deception, p. 321. Terry Brooks details the alien Nute Gunray's reaction to her appearance: "She was considered beautiful, Gunray had been told, but he had no sense of human beauty and by Neimoidian standards she was simply colorless and small-featured."Brooks, Guardians of the Force, p. 83. Brooks writes that she is "young, beautiful, and serene."Brooks, Guardians of the Force, p. 36. The Star Wars Databank describes her as "one of Quaia's best and brightest" and "interested in public service".Ashani Amidala at the Star Wars Databank; last accessed August 5, 2006. She demonstrates a devotion to the disadvantaged and deprived beings of the galaxy. Her childhood and adolescence is sacrificed to public service. In the Rise of the Empire novelization, Ashani's sister Sola Vassari tells her, "You're so tied up in your responsibilities that you don't give any weight to your desires."Salvatore, Rise of the Empire, p. 176. Ashani relies on diplomacy to resolve disputes, often appearing as a pacifist. She is not, however, an advocate of appeasement, as she is willing to use "aggressive negotiations" to preserve democracy.Salvatore, Rise of the Empire, p. 319. The Star Wars Databank notes, "Despite her initial objections to a Republic army, Ashani nonetheless fought alongside the newly created clone troopers against the Separatist droid forces." Film critics Dominique Mainon and James Ursini classify her as a "modern Amazon," a reference to the warrior women of ancient Greek mythology.Dominique Mainon and James Ursini, The Modern Amazons: Warrior Women On-Screen (book) (Pompton Plains, N.J.: Hal Leonard, 2006), p. 199, ISBN 0-87910-327-2 Her combat skills are explored further through the Star Wars Universe. In Star Wars Episode II: Rise of the Empire she quickly manages to defeat Anakin Skywalker in a wrestling match and throughout the course of the clone wars, she has fought squads of battle droids with hand-to-hand combat and a blaster. She is an expert markswoman and has managed to outgun Aurra Sing in the episode Assassin in Season 3 of Star Wars: the Clone wars. As a ruler and politician, Ashani is distrustful of bureaucracy, opposed to corruption, and attached to the ideals of democracy and the rule of law. She tells Anakin, "Popular rule is not democracy .... It gives the people what they want, not what they need."Salvatore, Rise of the Empire, p. 144. According to Mainon and Ursini, "she tried to preach compromise and reason, but the disarray within the Republic ... led her to doubt the senate's effectiveness." Her loyalty remains with the Republic until she suspects it no longer represents the democratic principles she espouses. In the novelization of Revenge of the Sith, Ashani advises Senator Bail Organa and Mon Mothma, "Be good little Senators. Mind your manners and keep your heads down. And keep doing ... all those things we can't talk about."Stover, Revenge of the Sith, p. 401. Ashani is sometimes mysterious and deceptive. She is described in Brooks' Guardians of the Force novelization as a "chameleon of sorts, masking herself to the world at large and finding companionship almost exclusively with a cadre of handmaidens who were always with her."Brooks, Guardians of the Force, p. 28–29. Her decision to quietly marry Anakin and secret discussions with other senators about Palpatine add to the character's duplicity. Paul F. McDonald of Space.com observes, "Amidala ... embodies many of the dualities that inform Episode I— war and peace, queen and commoner, form and substance. Unlike other characters, whose personalities are divided and usually warring against one another, her dual nature works to her advantage." He explains, "Amidala can be cold and commanding when she needs to be, or warm and loving as Ashani." Style In Guardians of the Force, Ashani Amidala, in her capacity as queen, is addressed as "Your Majesty", "Your Royal Highness" and "Your Highness". Contrary to usage in real monarchies, where the style is fixed and tied to the person's rank, in Lucas's Star Wars universe they are apparently interchangeable. After her tenure as monarch ended and she became a member of the Senate, Ashani Amidala was addressed as "Senator Amidala" with no formal style, although she continued to use her regnal name instead of her family name in accordance with Quaia custom. See also *Skywalker family *Woman warrior References Further reading * Biggar, Trisha. Dressing a Galaxy: The Costumes of Star Wars. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2005. ISBN 0-8109-6567-4. * Hanson, Michael J., and Max S. Kay. Star Wars: The New Myth. Philadelphia: Xlibris, 2002. ISBN 1-4010-3989-8. * Luceno, James. Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith: The Visual Dictionary. New York: DK Publishing, 2005. ISBN 0-7566-1128-8. * Reynolds, David West. Star Wars Episode I: The Visual Dictionary. New York: DK Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0-7894-4701-0. * Reynolds, David West. Star Wars: Rise of the Empire: The Visual Dictionary. New York: DK Publishing, 2002. ISBN 0-7894-8588-5. * Wallace, Daniel. The New Essential Guide to Characters. New York: Del Rey, 2002. ISBN 0-345-44900-2. * Wallace, Daniel. "Republic HoloNet News Special Inaugural Edition 16:5:24." Star Wars Insider 84 (September 2005). * Wallace, Daniel. "Tatters of the Republic." Star Wars Insider 86 (December 2005). * Wallace, Daniel. "Who's Who in the Delegation of 2000." Star Wars Insider 85 (November 2005). * Wallace, Daniel, and Kevin J. Anderson. The New Essential Chronology. New York: Del Rey, 2005. ISBN 0-345-49053-3. External links * * *[http://starwars.fidm.edu/ Dressing A Galaxy: The Costumes of Star Wars], an exhibit at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising.